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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

What do I do, my teenage DD2 has just had braces fitted and now refuses to eat?

90 replies

PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 17:59

DD2 has eating issues to start with, which has escalated since her dad passed away this April.

However, she was looking forward to getting braces and said she would follow all the orthodontist's guidelines. BUt, since having them fitted on Friday, she says she can't eat.

She's had nothing today apart from an ice lolly and won't agree to any of my suggestions for a 'soft' or liquid tea tonight. And she won't suggest any of her own alternatives either. We've reached a stalemate where I've said she could at least eat some of the waffles I'd bought her especially for breakfast this week, but which she went to school without eating!

I've said if she continues to not eat we'll abandon the orthodontic treatment and get the braces removed Sad

OP posts:
SweepTheHalls · 07/10/2013 18:02

Soup? Gradually build to chunky textures?

HuwEdwards · 07/10/2013 18:03

What reasons does she give?

VegasIsBest · 07/10/2013 18:04

My son had quite a lot of pain when he first got braces. Try a painkiller and something soft that she likes (soup, ice cream). Be gentle for a few days and it will get better. She'll find it helps to cut food up much smaller than usual for a couple of weeks. Good luck.

nomorecrumbs · 07/10/2013 18:04

Teeth should be getting less sensitive after 3 days, and I would know...they hurt like a bitch when I had them. She needs to eat now.

Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:06

Well she had soup Friday, Saturday & Sunday and I think she's sick of it. She's refusing anything now Angry

OP posts:
NoMoreMadCatLady · 07/10/2013 18:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:07

She refuses all pain killers too, stating 'they don't work on me'.

I think we need psychiatric help Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:08

Yes she's got wax. The insides of her mouth arevery sore. I can't cope with her screaming at me that she's starving hungry, but there's nothing she can eat!!

OP posts:
Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:10

I've offered icecraem, bananas, paella rice, pasta scrambled eggs. All things she likes, but she refuses point blank.

I'm going to have to get them removed, aren't I? Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:18

Any other ideas?

OP posts:
OddBoots · 07/10/2013 18:20

Don't get it removed just yet, if her mouth is actually sore then that needs to be looked at first, my ds found the wax useless but putting Orajel on the sore bits made a huge difference, especially when we did it bout 20-30mins before food.

bigbluebus · 07/10/2013 18:21

Have you got a hand blender? You can whizz up most things if you add a bit of liquid. Does she like things like curry, which can be easily blended but have a bit more flavour? I think I'd be bored with just soup for 3 days.
I don't have any experience of eating issues, but do you think it is just the braces that are causing the problem or is she just using that as an excuse, as there have been issues previously with eating. It would be a shame to get the braces removed only to find that she still won't eat.

Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 18:33

Thanks for the Orajel tip. Will try that.

Her mouth is really sore and she physically can't eat with the braces on. But she's now come down & is going to try nuggets & chips & peas. I think she'll struggle but don't want to put her off as i think she just doesn't fancy any of the soft options on offer. She is notoriously fussy.

OP posts:
Artandco · 07/10/2013 19:30

Mine really hurt. For x2 weeks I mainly ate risotto, porridge, rice pudding, yogurt.

Pasta would have hurt too much as requires biting. I think creamy and oat/ rice based is the way to go.

Also soups ok if mushroom/ chicken but tomato would have hurt due to sharpness.

Artandco · 07/10/2013 19:32

Oh and chocolate milk :)

I don't think I ever could have eaten a chicken nugget even months after

Slipshodsibyl · 07/10/2013 19:32

Braces arent very nice at first. Maybe they need a little adjustment if they are still very painful. Go back to the dentist if she is still sore tomorrow. Painkillers would, of course help I think.

Original poster
PestoSpookissimos · 07/10/2013 19:38

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Unfortunately DD2 hates milk and anything milky!

And won't take painkillers Sad

She has, however, eaten some chicken nuggets & peas Smile

OP posts:
adagio · 07/10/2013 19:41

I seem to recall soluble painkillers where good as they seemed to help on the sore bits too (OK that may have been bollox I had braces per internet and believed most things my mum told me!)

I lived on Heinz tomato soup with bread thrown in to go all soft and soggy, for about a week after every adjustment. Still my comfort food of choice Grin. I already liked this combination following lots of tonsillitis as a young nipper.

Does she have any go-to comfort foods?

adagio · 07/10/2013 19:41

*pre internet, not per

Artandco · 07/10/2013 19:50

Noodles?

Thants · 07/10/2013 19:57

Maybe meal replacements would be good for now like complan.
Numbing mouth washes and if, she can bear it, swishing soluble aspirin around her mouth will work topically.

stillstanding29 · 07/10/2013 20:01

My DS refused to eat for about 48 hrs after he had his brace fitted. He is diabetic so it was quite dangerous and pretty unreasonable. His brace gradually got more comfortable and he started to eat but he had to have a day off school because it wasn't safe for him to go in. Think he ate ice cream first. I would be livid about the not taking painkillers thing.

mrsannekins · 07/10/2013 20:02

I remember my teeth feeling as if they weren't in my mouth (it's a hard feeling to explain) and lived on bran flakes soaking in warm milk, bascially wheaty mush for a couple of weeks while my teeth settled down.

Anything that doesn't involve chewing was good, pretty boring yes, but saved the pain. Also ice cream helped soothe the pain too.

And lots of bonjela.

Sparklingbrook · 07/10/2013 20:05

My DS didn't eat much for a week after the braces were fitted. He was vv upset and wanted them off, he was so miserable it was heartbreaking.

It settled down and he got used to them, just kept trying to eat gradually.

keep at it. x

Cohomological · 07/10/2013 21:18

Braces are entirely cosmetic and superficial.
Just remove them.

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